Declaration Concerning the Late Tumults in Scotland, Title page (2 of 2)
By this now which hath been said, We suppose it is plain that before either the Service Book, or Book of Canons, so tragically now exclaimed against, were thought on, the seeds of sedition and discontent were sowne by the contrivers of the late Covenant, first upon the occasion of our Revocation, next upon occasion of Our Commission of Surrenders, and lastly upon the occasion of Our denying Honours to some of them at Our last being in that Kingdome, which caused first their traducing of Our proceedings in our last Parliament held there, and then produced that infamous Libell.
And now by this time sedition was growne so ripe, and readie to seed, that it wanted nothing to thrust it out, and make it shoot forth into an open Rebellion, but some faire and specious pretence: They could not yet compasse the cloake of Religion, whereby to siele the eyes, and muffle the face of the multitude, for by none of all the three former occasions could they so much as pretend that Religion was endangered or impeached: But so soon as they got but the least hint of any thing, which they thought might admit a misconstruction that way, they lost no time, but took Occasion by the forelock, knowing that either that, or nothing would first facilitate, and then perfect their designes: Now the occasion they tooke of fetching Religion within the reach of their pretences, was this.
Our Father of blessed memorie immediately after his comming into England, comparing the decencie and uniformitie of Gods worship here, especially in the Liturgie of the Church, with that diversitie, nay deformitie which was used in Scotland, where no set or publike forme of prayer was used, but Preachers or Readers and ignorant Schoolmasters prayed in the Church, sometimes so ignorantly as it was a shame to all Religion to have the Majestie of God so barbarously spoken unto, sometimes so seditiously that their prayers were plaine Libels, girding at Soveraigntie and Authoritie; or Lyes, being stuffed with all the false reports in the Kingdome: He did immediately, as became a Religious Prince, bethinke himselfe seriously how His first reformation in that Kingdome might begin at the publike worship of God, which Hee most truely conceived could never be happily effected, untill such time as there should be an unitie and uniformitie in the publike Prayers, Liturgie, and Service of the Church, established throughout the whole Kingdome. Concerning this His Royall and Religious designe, divers consultations, for many yeares, were had with the Bishops and others of the Clergie of most eminent note in that Kingdome.
But these deliberations (as it happeneth manie times in businesse of so pious and ponderous importance) received some opposition, and manie intermissions, untill the yeare 1616. in a Generall Assemblie (which is answerable to the Convocation of the Clergie here in England) held at Aberdene in August, Our Royall Father by His Letters, and the vehement instance of His Commissioners then and there present, easily made apparent to that whole Assembly, not onelyonly the conveniencie, but indeed the necessitie of a publike Liturgie to be settled throughout the whole Land: Which moved that Assemblie to passe an Act, whereby they authorised some of the present Bishops, and divers others, to compile and frame a publike forme of Liturgie, or Booke of Common Prayer, which should first be presented to Our Royall Father, and after His approbation should be universally received throughout the Kingdome. This Booke in pursuance of that Act of Assembly, being by those who were deputed for that purpose framed, was by the Lord Archbishop of Saint Andrewes that now liveth, sent up to Our Royall Father, who not onelyonly carefully and punctually perused everie particular passage of it himselfe, but had it also considerately advised with, and revised by some of that Kingdome here in England, in whose judgement He reposed singular trust and confidence; and after all His owne and their observations, additions, expunctions, mutations, accommodations, He sent it backe to those from whom He had received it, to be commended to that whole Church, being a Service Booke in substance, frame, and composure, much about one with this verie Service Booke which We of late commended to them, and which undoubtedly then had been received in that Church, if it had not pleased Almightie God, that while these things were in doing, and before they could receive their much wished and desired period and consummation, to the invaluable losse, as of the whole Church of God, so particularly of that Church of Scotland, to translate Our blessed Father from His temporall Kingdomes to that which is eternall.
Wee, by the grace of God, succeeding to Our royall Father, were desirous to make it knowne to the world, that Wee did not hold it a greater honour to succeed Him in His Crownes, then to be His Successour in His Princely vertues, and especially in that in which He was most eminent, His singular pietie and religious care of the publique service of God; which finding here in this Kingdome of England, by His singular wisedome and vigilancie, setled even to the admiration if not envie of all other Churches, We resolved by the grace of God to pursue that His Pious and Princely designe, for setling a publike Liturgie in that Our Kingdome of Scotland, it having beene so happily atchieved, facilitated, and almost perfected by Him: To which purpose We caused the same Service Booke, transmitted by Him to that Church, to be remitted and sent backe to Us, that after Our perusall and alterations, if any should be found, either necessarie, or convenient, it might likewise receive Our Royall authoritie and approbation: We having received that Book, and after many serious consultations had with divers of Our Bishops and Clergie of that Kingdome then here present with Us, and after Our advices by Our Letters and Instructions to the rest at home, and after many humble advertisements and remonstrances made from them to Us of the reasons of some alterations, which they did conceive would remove divers difficulties, which otherwise they feared this Booke would encounter with; We were contented that the Service Booke should come out as now it is printed, being fully liked by them, and signed with their hands, and perused, approved, and published by Our Royall command and authoritie.
In the perusall and approbation whereof, We tooke speciall care, that the small alterations of it in which it differeth from the English Service Booke should be such, as We had reason to thinke would best comply with the mindes and dispositions of Our subjects of that Kingdome: For We supposing that they might have taken some offence, if We should have tendered them the English Service Booke totidem verbis, and that some factious spirits would have endevoured to have misconstrued it as a badge of dependance of that Church upon this of England, which Wee had put upon them to the prejudice of their Lawes and Liberties; We held it fitter that a new Booke should be composed by their own Bishops, in substance not differing from this of England, that so the Roman party might not upbraid Us with any weightie or materiall differences in Our Liturgies, and yet in some few insensible alterations differing from it, that it might truely and justly be reputed a Book of that Churches owne composing, and established by Our Royall Authority, as King of Scotland: And thus conceiving Wee had discharged the duetie of a religious King towards God, and of a gracious Prince in accommodating this Booke so, that Our subjects of that Kingdome should have no cause to have the least suspicion of any intended dependancie of that Church upon this, Wee sent home the Book to the Lords of Our Privie Councell: After their receipt & consideration of it, We, by their advice, and they, by Our Authoritie, commanded by publike Proclamation that the said Book should be publikely read and received in all the Churches of that Our Kingdome, and should begin to be practised upon Easter next, 1637.
Disobedience to this Our Proclamation Wee had little reason to expect, because this Service-book was no new thing unto them: For it not differing from the English Service-book in any materiall point, and We supposing that the English Liturgie neither was nor could bee displeasing to them, did likewise conceive that this Book should be as little disliked by them: Now the reasons inducing Us to a beleefe of their not misliking the English Liturgie, were these.
First, many of Our subjects of that Kingdome of all sorts daily resorting to Our Court and the Citie of London, did much frequent our Chappell, many other Churches in or about the Citie, and many Churches, during their stay here at the severall places of our residence, and many other Churches within this Kingdome upon their way, both hither and homeward; in all which Churches they did behave themselves during the time of divine Service with that reverence as others of Our subjects of this Kingdome did, without any dislike of it, or quarrelling against it. Now these who resorted hither, being for quantitie and number very considerable, and for qualitie (for the most part) of the very best, gave Us more then a probable assurance, that at home they would never accompt that absolutely in it selfe unlawfull and Antichristian (as many of them have since professed,) unto which they had here of their owne accord by their practise yeelded obedience: For neither municipall Law, nor variation of time or place, nor any other circumstance, can allow Us to practise that which we hold in it selfe to be simply unlawfull, Antichristian, and against the Word of God.
Secondly, in Our owne Chappell at Haly-rud-house, ever since the yeere of Our Lord 1617. the English Liturgie hath beene read, and according to it divine Service sung and said, as it is here said and sung in Our Chappels in England, not onelyonly without dislike, but with frequent Assemblies of Our Councel, Nobility, Bishops, & other Clergie of all sorts, Judges, Gentrie, Burgesses, women of all ranks: The Bishops or some of them never gave Orders (which they did frequently) but they used the English Service-book, & in some Cathedrall Churches of that kingdom, as also in the new Colledge of the University of S. Andrewes, for some yeeres of late it was publikely read without any distaste, much lesse disturbance; for divers yeeres it was used in many families, and at Our last being in that Kingdome it was read publikely in all Churches to which Wee resorted, in which great numbers of all sorts of people were present: All which gave Us good reason to conceive, that the commanding of this Book by Our authoritie, could not in any true sense be called or accounted an innovation, all sorts of people, and very many of those of all ranks who now inveigh most bitterly against it, having been so accustomed to it▪ and acquainted with it, and that without any dislike of it or complaint against it.
Thirdly, Wee confesse that one of the chiefest reasons moving Us to beleeve, that that Service-book (being in substance all one with this of England) could not be held by them to containe any thing tending to Idolatrie, Poperie, or Superstition (as since they have pretended) was this; We did foresee that all objections bending that way must needs strike at the English Service-book aswell as at that (and indeed all of them which they have preached or published against that book do so;) but We did then and do still take it as granted, that no man, who hath his wits about him, can charge the least suspicion of these things objected, upon the English Service-book: For since it is well knowne to the whole Christian world, that the Composers & Framers of the English Service-book were those very famous Bishops & others, who in Queen Mary her dayes delivered up their living bodies to the fire, or escaping the fire indured banishment, & only because they would not yeeld to Poperie and Superstition: How these men now, whom in their owne judgement they hold to bee ranked amongst the most glorious Martyrs of the Church, for resisting even to bloud, Idolatry, Popery, and Supersti…ion, can with any conscience or honestie be charged by these men with compiling of a Book stuffed full with Idolatrie, Poperie, and Superstition, it requireth more then an ordinarie understanding to apprehend: And besides, it will be made good, that more of the Bishops and learned Clergie of England, both for number and weight, have opposed Superstition and Popery, then can be found in all the reformed Churches besides, who all of them have lived in the practise of the English Liturgie, and defended the same; which they would never have done if they had supposed it to containe Idolatrie or Superstition.
These now were the grounds which inclined Us to conceive that the Service-book, authorized by Us for that Kingdome, was not like to receive any publike or considerable opposition, though We did never expect it should misse to meet with that misfortune which attendeth all other Books of this kind, and which hath waited upon the English Service-book here, viz. to be disliked and defamed by some whose judgements either being weak are not capable of satisfaction, or being distempered with the humours of singularitie, are resolved never to receive, or at least never to seeme to receive any satisfaction.
And yet, even those men too, especially they of the first sort, men of weaker judgement, before, and at the time of the publishing of this Book, were not cast without the compasse of Our care and clemencie: For Wee did with that Book send home certaine instructions and directions to our Bishops of that Kingdome signed with Our owne hand, amongst which this was one: That notwithstanding We had now established this Book by Our authoritie, yet they should proceed with all moderation, and dispense with such for the practise of some things contained in the Book, as they should finde either not well perswaded of them, or willing to be informed concerning them, or did hope that time and reason might gaine to a better beleefe of them: Nay yet more, to foresee what probable opposition this Book might be like to receive, Wee caused Our Councell by Proclamation to publish a set day for the reading of it in all Churches, which was the Easter day following, 1637: All which time, though no symptoms of any considerable opposition did appeare, yet upon good considerations, and for the further trial of mens minds, the first reading of it was delayed untill the xxiii. of July next ensuing, to the end that the Lords of the Session, and others who had any Law-businesse, might see the successe of it before the rising of the Session, which alwayes endeth on the first of August, and that so upon their returne to their severall Countries they might report the receiving of this Book at Edinburgh; it being ordered, that on that Sunday the Book should be read onelyonly in the Churches of Edinburgh, and those which were next adjacent: And because it should not be read that day neither unexpectedly, warning was first printed, and then published in all these severall Pulpits the Sunday immediatly before, that the next Sunday the new Service-book was to be read: After all which premonitions made only to try how the people stood affected, & no feare of tumult appearing; Nay, the Service-book, which was to be read, having beene in publike Sermons commended by many Preachers, without any apparent disgust of the Book, or disgrace offered to the Preachers persons; Nay, having beene commended in Sermons by some of their now principall Covenanting Ministers, who since have beene the greatest railers against it, by none more then one Rollock a Minister of Edinburgh, who, both in a Sermon preached by him at a Synod held at Edinburgh before the Bishop of that Diocesse, and in his Sermon on the Sunday of intimation of the reading of the Service-book the next Sunday, did highly magnifie the said Book: And so the tendring of this Book being thus prepared and sweetned with these gracious considerations of time, & expectation of the discovery of mens affections, which, for any thing appeared to the contrarie, were very calme & composed, who could have imagined that the first reading of it should have been attended with such a barbarous tumult and insurrection, as was raised in the Churches and streets of Edinburgh the Sunday following? the true relation of which tumult, as it was sent up to Us, doth here follow.
On the twentie-third day of July, 1637. being Sunday, according to the publike warning given the Sunday before, the Service Book was begun to bee read in Edinburgh in Saint Gyles Church, commonly called the great Church; where were present (as usually they are) many of Our Councell, both the Arch-bishops and divers other Bishops, the Lords of the Session, the Magistrates of Edinburgh, and a very great auditorie of all sorts of people. Amongst this great multitude there appeared no signe of trouble: But, no sooner was the Book opened by the Deane of Edinburgh, but a number of the meaner sort, who used to keep places for the better sort, most of them women, with clapping of their hands, cursings, and out-cries, raised such a barbarous hubbub in that sacred place, that not any one could either heare or be heard: The Bishop of Edinburgh, who was to preach, stept into the Pulpit, which is immediatly above the place where the Deane was to read, intending to appease the tumult, by putting them in minde that the place, in which they then were, was holy ground, and by intreating them to desist from that fearefull and horrible profanation of it: But hee was entertained with as much irreverence as the Deane, and with more violence; in so much, that if a stoole, aimed to be throwne at him, had not by the providence of God beene diverted by the hand of one present, the life of that Reverend Bishop, in that holy place, and in the Pulpit, had beene indangered, if not lost: The Arch-bishop of Saint Andrewes Lord Chancellour, and divers others offering to appease the multitude, were entertained with such bitter curses and imprecations, as they not being able to prevaile with the people, the Provost, Bailiffs, and divers others of the Councell of that Citie were forced to come downe from the Gallery in which they do usually sit, and with much adoe, in a very great tumult and confusion, thrust out of the Church these disorderly people, making fast the Church doores: After all which, the Deane devoutly read Service, assisted by Our Councellors, Bishops, and many other persons of qualitie there present: Yet the out cries rapping at the Church doores, throwing of stones at the Church windowes by the tumultuous multitude without, was so great as the Bailiffes of the Citie were once more put to forsake their places, and use their best indeavours for the appeasing the rage and furie of those who were without. Service being ended, the Bishop preached, after which the Congregation was dismissed: The Bishop of Edinburgh retiring himselfe to a lodging distant not many paces from the Church, was so invironed with a multitude of the meaner sort of people, cursing and crouding him, that he was neere being trode to death; and in all probabilitie had beene so, if hee had not recovered the staires of his lodging, which he no sooner began to go up, but he was so pulled by the sleeve of his gowne by some of that rude rout, that hee had like to have tumbled backward downe the staires, to the indangering of his life, yet with much adoe getting up the staires he found the doore, at which he should have entred, shut against him, and so being put to a stand, he had certainely beene oppressed with the preasse and violence of that rabble, if the Earle of Weems from his next lodging, seeing the Bishops life in danger, had not sent his servants to rescue him, who got the Bishop almost breathlesse into his lodging. The same morning the Service Book was read in the next Church to Saint Gyles Church, not without noise and tumult, yet the furie was not so great as in the other Church: In the Gray Friers Church the Elect Bishop of Argyle (being Colleague to Master Ramsey who refused to read it) begun to read the Book, but he was so cursed and exclaimed against, and threatned to be pulled downe, that after the reading of the Confession and Absolution, he was forced to give over. In the Colledge Church, Rollock, one of the Preachers there, who the Sunday before, at the intimation of the reading of it, had so much commended the Book, and had undertaken this day to read it, though hee had the Book ready to be carried to the Church with him, yet, very wisely, resolved to halt a little, untill he might know how it was entertained at Saint Gyles Church, that so his conscience might comply with the carriage of the multitude, whose rudenesse being reported to him, he (notwithstanding his commendations of the Book, and his faithfull promise to read it,) thought it the safer course to leave himselfe to the censure of all men for his levitie and breach of promise, then offend the multitude, whose favour is the onelyonly aire in which he taketh delight to breath and live: And thus that morning passed.
Betweene the two Sermons, such of Our Councell as were in the Towne, assembled at the Lord Chancellour his lodging, where the Lord Provost and Bailiffs of Edinburgh being called, undertooke to doe their uttermost endevours for the quiet and peaceable reading of the Service Booke in the afternoon; which accordingly they did, and so the Service Booke in Saint Gyles and some other Churches, that afternoone was read, without any such tumult or insurrection as it encountred with in the morning; yet the furious multitude, who stayed in the streets, and little regarded the service of God in the Churches, intermitted nothing of their madnesse▪ For the Lord Privie Seale Earle of Roxborough returning home to his lodging, and having with him in his Coach the Bishop of Edinburgh, was neare suffering the death of the first Martyr St. Stephen, his Coach and Coachman, for having the Bishop in it, being so pelted with stones, and hooted at with execrations, and pressed upon by the eager and mad multitude, that if the Lord Privie Seale his Footmen had not with their swords kept them off, they in the Coach had been brought in danger of their lives, having after long and continuall bickerings much adoe to recover their lodgings.
And now We desire all men to consider what blessing and successe from heaven may be expected upon this grand and important reformation of Religion, as they call it, the begetter and beginner whereof was the horrible profanation of the Lords owne day, and that in the Lords owne Houses and Temples, and all this attended with the contempt and treading under foot the sacred Authoritie and Lawes of Us the Lords Anointed, as also with the violation of the persons of the Lords Priests and Prophets, his Bishops and Ministers, and all these practised by a base multitude, disavowed and disclaimed at that time by all Magistrates and persons put in authoritie, and all others of any ranke or qualitie, who branded that multitude with the names of the scum and froth of the people, and offered themselves, to the uttermost of their diligence and assistance, for the finding of them out, and bringing them to highest and condigne punishment, as shall presently appeare by the demeanour of the Magistrates when they were called before Our Councell for that purpose.
For the next day, being the 24. of July 1637. Our Councell assembled, and sent forth a Proclamation in detestation of the uproare and tumult the day before, and discharged all concourses of people and tumultuous meetings in Edinburgh under paine of death; at which time the Magistrates of Edinburgh being then present at Our Councell Table, professed their utter abhorring, and detesting of the last tumult, and apprehended some suspected to be most forward in it, and thereupon were commanded and ordered by an Act of Our Councell of the 26. of July, to assemble the Councell of the Citie the next morning by eight of the clocke, and then and there to resolve what course they thought fittest to be held for the finding out of the movers of, and chiefe actors in the late seditious uproare, and immediately after to report their diligence and resolutions herein: Which report they accordingly made to Our Councell, not onelyonly with a detestation of that tumult, and promises of their best diligence for finding out the authors and abettors of it, but also with large proffers of their best assistance for the quiet and peaceable establishing and reading of the Service Booke in all their Churches.
But the Ministers of that Citie being loath to undertake the reading of it, without some securitie given for the safetie of their persons, the Lords of Our Councell by their Act of the 28. of July 1637. ordered the Provost, Bailiffes, and Councell of Edinburgh to advise amongst themselves concerning some obligatorie Act to be made by them, for a reall performance of what they had undertaken, and should further undertake for the peaceable exercise of the Service Book, which they accorded unto, and promised, that since the former Readers in their severall Churches, had refused to read the Booke, if in the meane time the Ministers themselves would read it, they would take order for their safetie, and when new Readers should be provided, they would take order both for their securitie and settled maintenance and allowance: In pursuance whereof, an obligatorie Act was drawne up by Our Advocate, and read before Our Councell to the Magistrates of Edinburgh the sixt of August 1637. to which they humbly consented, and on the tenth of the same monethmonth, the said Act of indemnitie being exhibited before Our Councell, was allowed by them, and accordingly passed and entred in Our Councell booke as an Act of Councell: And so now this late tumult in all appearance being settled, and not onelyonly fathered upon the scumme and dregges of the people, but cryed downe by all men either of place or qualitie, and by none more then by the Magistrates and Ministers of Edinburgh, Our Councell not fearing any new outrage, proceeded to these two things.
First, to the exemplarie punishing of such of the heads of the late tumult as they should discover: And next, to the settling of the practice of the Service Booke, and appointing a new day for renewing the exercise of it; to which the Bishops, Magistrates and Ministers of Edinburgh agreed: And this their forwardnesse the Magistrates of that Citie were not onelyonly contented to expresse before Our Councell, both by their verball promises and protestations, as also their obligatorie Act remaining upon record, and registred in Our bookes of Councell, but likewise by two particular Letters sent by them into England unto the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie, in which they desired him to recommend unto Us, their care of, and fidelitie to Our service, and to undertake for them to Us their zeale and forwardnesse, for settling the peaceable practice of the Service Booke: Which Letters We here have caused to be inserted, that the Reader may see what names of simplicitie and ignorance they bestow upon that multitude, which made the first opposition, and withall take notice of the names of the Magistrates subscribers to these Letters; for some of them (which hardly could be expected from reasonable men) will be found to be very forward, if not leaders in the next succeeding sedition, and so of the rest which have followed since: The Letters be these.